Plasterboard dowels - Information on the application, load capacity and sizes
- Special features of the material
- Type of anchors
- sizes
- Capacity
- Assembly
- Plasterboard plug GK
- Plasterboard plug GKM
- Prices
- Remove plasterboard plug
- Tips for quick readers
- Related Links
Who does not know, you move into a new apartment or have renovated the old and would like to put on wall cabinets, lamps or shelves. Since the drywall in interior design has prevailed, often raises the question of how to attach his furniture safely and stably on plasterboard. Here, the use of special plasterboard dowels is recommended, since they protect the drywall material, whereby cracks or breakouts are avoided. Read in this article everything you need to know about plasterboard plugs.
Special features of the material
Whether as a panel for fittings, moisture resistant GK panels in the wet area or as a ceiling panel, the plasterboard is found everywhere and has particular requirements in terms of load capacity and strength plasterboard is lightweight and porous, here the choice of the right mounting material is important because the load capacity of the material is limited.
In addition, gypsum board is aging and can lose its stability, so the load capacity depends primarily on the plate material and less on the dowel. As a room divider and in the renovation of old buildings, the single-skin planked plasterboard is often used, which has a low load capacity and may have a thickness of up to 15 mm .
For stud walls, which are used as internal partitions, the two-layer planked plasterboard walls are used. These differ from the one-layer planking in that 2 layers of 12.5 mm thick plasterboard were screwed here.
Type of anchors
The trade offers plasterboard dowels in an artificial and metal finish.
The gypsum plasterboard GK (made of plastic) are made of high-quality nylon and are suitable for attaching pictures, lights or electrical installations to plasterboard.
use
- Single and double planked plasterboard
- In the wet room area
- For light attachments
The GKM plasterboard dowels (made of metal) are rather robust and can be screwed in more easily than plastic dowels, they also achieve a higher load capacity and thus ensure a secure hold of pictures, lights and electrical installations on plasterboard and gypsum fibreboards.
use
- Single and double planked plasterboard
- Single and double planked gypsum fiber boards
- For harder and thicker plasterboard walls
- For heavier attachments
sizes
Rigips dowels are available in different sizes and it really depends on the length. Most dowels are 32 mm long and are suitable for a screw size of 4.5 mm to 5.0 mm in diameter. Furthermore, dowels in lengths of 22 mm, 37 mm and 39 mm are offered, for example by the market leaders Fischer and Tox.
Capacity
For the load-bearing capacity of plasterboard plug GK (made of plastic) :
- 7 kg capacity with a 9.5 mm thick plasterboard
- 8 kg load capacity with a 12.5 mm thick plasterboard
- 11 kg capacity with a 2 * 12.5 mm thick plasterboard
For the load-bearing capacity of gypsum plasterboard plug GKM (made of metal) :
- 7 kg capacity with a 9.5 mm thick plasterboard
- 8 kg load capacity with a 12.5 mm thick plasterboard
- 15 kg capacity with a 2 * 12.5 mm thick plasterboard
- 20 kg load capacity with a 12.5 mm thick gypsum fiber board
These values refer to plasterboard anchors, with a length of up to 32 mm . The load capacity may increase with increasing length and design-related optimizations. Further information on load capacity can be found in the manufacturer's product data sheets. However, if you want to install ceiling structures and very heavy loads, such as flat screens or cabinets, then you should use cavity dowels. These distribute the load better and can be loaded with weights up to 50 kg.
Assembly
The installation of a plasterboard plug is quick and easy to carry out. Before starting to assemble, first check the load capacity and condition of the wall to be treated in order to select the correct dowel.
Plasterboard plug GK
The plastic dowels need a special setting tool. This setting tool is clamped in the cordless screwdriver, then the dowel is placed on this setting tool and you can screw the dowel into the wall.
Note: Make sure that the dowels have a right-hand thread, so it may be necessary to adjust the direction of rotation adjustment on the cordless screwdriver.
You should also limit the insertion torque on the cordless screwdriver in order to avoid over-tightening the plastic anchor.
From a plate thickness of 15 mm, you must pre-drill with the setting tool, otherwise pre-drilling is not necessary here, as the dowel digs into the material due to its characteristic thread.
Plasterboard plug GKM
With a metal dowel, they do not need a setting tool. The dowel is simply placed on the appropriate bit in the cordless screwdriver and can be screwed.
Note: Make sure that the dowel is perpendicular to the wall to ensure that it is flush with the wall.
For double-planked gypsum plasterboards or gypsum fiberboards you should pre-drill with a 8 mm diameter drill bit.
After mounting your plastic or metal dowel, you can attach your attachment with a screw.
Prices
The trade offers Trockenbaudübel of various brands in a variety of packaging. The price varies depending on , brand, material and whether the appropriate screws are included.
Price structure and range of selected brands
- 10 pcs. Fischer plasterboard plug GK K - 3, 09 €
- 10 pcs. Stabilit plasterboard plug GK - 2, 75 €
- 12 pcs. Cobra plasterboard plug GK Walldriller - 2, 85 €
- 50 pcs. Tox gypsum plasterboard spirals 32 - 8, 09 €
- 50 pcs. Apolo plasterboard plug GKD Queue Tap - 5, 99 €
- 100 pcs Fischer plasterboard plug GKM - 16, 97 €
- 100 pcs. Toggler Plasterboard plug SPM - 23, 40 €
Remove plasterboard plug
If you no longer need your plasterboard plugs, they are relatively easy to remove. After you have removed the screw from the dowel, the plasterboard plug can be unscrewed with the setting tool again. If necessary, the dowel can also be carefully removed with a pair of pliers or a screwdriver. After removing the dowel, dust residues should be removed from the drilled hole. Then you can close the borehole with putty, here you can use finished putty from the tube.
Note: Fill the wall holes several times to avoid cavities.
After you have passed the putty, you can, after a drying time of half to full hour, smooth the putty with sandpaper.
Tips for quick readers
- Inform about the thickness of the wall and determine the load
- Plasterboard anchors are not suitable for use on the ceiling
- For heavier attachments, use metal dowels
- For very heavy objects- access to cavity plugs
- In wet room area - use plastic dowels
Related Links
Would you like to learn more about different types of dowels and how to use them "> Dowel sizes
